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BackStab
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Graphics & Sound:
The byline on Backstab has to be something along the lines of, "You've played this before, just not here," due to its remarkable ability to ape Grand Theft Auto. We won't abuse the comparison (we promise), but it's too obvious not to mention. The graphics for iPad are a cut above most games we've played, at least in the sense that Backstab pulls of a full 3D open-world game, including some dynamic action sequences. At least for us, it comes as a bit of a shock. Backstab stands out against the landscape of flat, 2D games that feel like nothing more than big versions of little games.
The funny thing is, 3D graphics coming to the iPad feels a bit like reliving history, complete with the foibles of that extra dimension. Visual gaps or invisible edges litter the world you explore, and controlling the camera in Backstab is still no better than in past generations of action games. The voice acting is very good, but is paired with disjointed visuals that beg an unfortunate comparison to badly dubbed foreign films. There's nothing more likely to ruin a dramatic moment than watching a character move his mouth and gesticulate for 10 seconds after all dialogue has ceased... To the developers' credit, Backstab stays "in character" and uses the game's graphics exclusively, after the opening sequence. In exchange for a few quirks that should be well known to fans of 3D action games, Backstab feels like a successful graft of the big-console experience to iPad. |
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Gameplay:
Revenge may be a dish best served cold, but you wouldn't know it from watching Backstab. The setting is Colonial, with a side of swashbuckling action, and you play a wronged British soldier out to defeat the man who turned his life upside down. If you replaced the three-masters with modern speedboats and the horses with Ford Mustangs, you'd be in Vice City. The storyline is pitch perfect and the flow of Backstab shows an appreciation for the open-world, mission-based action game. At any moment, you have a purpose and primary goal, but there are numerous side-missions you can embark on at a moment's notice. Yes, you can steal a man's horse and yes, you can buy time with ladies of ill repute. As we know from experience, the replay value for games like this is fantastic.
More than just an appreciation of the form, Backstab shows a deep understanding of what makes open-world adventure tick. The mission types fall into the usual buckets, such as making deliveries and assassination, but there's an Old World angle and some unique features like cannons and single-shot pistols. Sure, you can upgrade weapons, but Backstab stays consistent to the historical period. Another unique gameplay element is your ability to climb objects and traverse rooftops in cities and towns. There are hidden objects, merchants that will buy goods you gather throughout the world, and the steady pull of the narrative around revenge and redemption. It's a lot of fun, and it demonstrates how much of a legitimate platform the iPad may become for core gamers. Who would have predicted we could travel from Peggle to pirate adventure in little more than a year?! |
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Difficulty:
The worst of Backstab comes from how it implements 3D, and the things you'll notice are really just typical of the format. Jumps that are hard to evaluate, objects that show up with lots of visual glitches or bad edge-detection, and buggy controls. Where the controls fail most often is during some of the climbing/hanging/falling challenges, where you'll do more accidental falling than you'd like. The contextual joystick makes it easy to press anywhere and move your character, but if the screen reads your finger as a press-down, you'll end up dropping off ledges to your death. It doesn't happen much, but enough to deserve mention. There are also the usual 3D camera issues, made worse because of the placement of important game controls on the right-hand side of your screen. Even though you can technically control the camera and move with the same hand, on the left or middle, it just feels right to move on one side and do your camera on the other. Too many times, we'd end up tapping a button to switch weapons or trigger our characters' special ability while trying to adjust the camera. Expecting users to adjust the camera at all is where most 3D games go wrong, and Backstab does a good but not great job solving these issues. A more intelligent camera, keyed to movement, would have improved the experience.
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Game Mechanics:
The best practice for games of this type appears to be having a joystick that appears when you touch the screen. This simplifies the process of adjusting to people with big or little hands, but it also can occasionally read the wrong input. Movement isn't nearly as problematic as the camera control, which happens when you slide your finger left-to-right, anywhere on the screen. There's one area at the bottom right of the screen (unless you use the left-handed control option) that contains some important stuff, like switching weapons and triggering special abilities. There's also a map at the top-left of the screen, which also leads to some menu/save options. We appreciated how much screen real estate was preserved to show off the exciting action of Backstab, and we felt like the respective joystick controls were implemented well enough to keep most players happy. It takes some getting used to, but that's mostly just learning a new platform.
Whether you enjoy Backstab will depend on whether you can overcome a few quirks, and whether you're open to a GTA-style game on the iPad. Backstab is definitely not appropriate for younger gamers, and it was the first time in my house that I had to worry about what my kids were playing on the iPad. More mature content on iOS is a good thing, and bringing a wider variety of game styles to the platform is a great move. Backstab allows you to appreciate how the iPad might become a "serious" gaming console, beyond the multitude of casual and arcade titles now in the App Store. If you're up for a bloody adventure and not afraid of some twitch-action gaming, Backstab is definitely worth a look. |
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-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock |
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